Paris 16th arrondissement is famous for landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe, the Place du Trocadéro and the Place d’Iéna. The area is, however (with the exception of a few museums), otherwise mostly residential, housing many office buildings and embassies. Proof thereof is that it is the only arrondissement to have two postal codes (75016 and 75116) to facilitate the delivery of mail because of its very high volume. The “seizième” also has the reputation of being one of the capital’s chic neighbourhoods with its large avenues and expensive real-estate.
Amongst the beautiful 19th century buildings, two more modern architects have left a mark, namely Robert Mallet-Stevens and Le Corbusier (see the Fondation Le Corbusier). The former has had a street named after him – the rue Mallet-Stevens – where you can admire several “villas” that he designed and that were built using reinforced concrete. During World War II, the French branch of the Gestapo occupied part of the buildings, sadly creating prison cells and torture chambers inside.
The buildings are now (thankfully) only used for housing purposes meaning that it is not possible to visit the inside. However, if you ever happen to be in the area, it is worth taking a small detour (if only to make a stop at Patrice Chapon to buy some chocolate afterwards – see the article about his chocolate mousse bar…)
